Day 1: A Grand Arrival (Mostly)

 After 18 months of planning, preparing, and counting down, we are finally here — fully checked into our hotel in Montreal and ready for action. It’s fair to say the journey wasn’t exactly smooth sailing, but more on that in a moment.

The day started brilliantly. Everyone arrived at the Music School on time, full of smiles and excitement. Bags were checked, lunch was enjoyed, and spirits were high as we departed in good time for Heathrow. The drive was mercifully kind to us — just a bit of M25 traffic, but otherwise a smooth run.

Things got interesting at Heathrow. British Airways had only two check-in desks open for two large school groups (us and another), plus all our instruments — which is always a logistical joy. We waited patiently but had to apply a bit of firm encouragement to get our group through before the gate closed. With some teamwork (and a fair amount of fast walking), we got everyone checked in just in time.

Security was relatively efficient, and we made a dash to the B gates via the transit train. The pupils were fantastic — no fuss, no flapping, just focused and cheerful as we made our way to the plane. Ironically, once we boarded, the flight was delayed for an hour while someone else’s luggage was offloaded after they failed to turn up. Classic.

The flight itself was pleasant and surprisingly quick — just six and a half hours. Pupils passed the time with movies, games, and the onboard entertainment, and we arrived in Montreal on schedule.

At that point, however, we discovered that some luggage hadn’t made the flight from London — affecting six pupils and one staff member. Parents of those pupils have been contacted directly, and we’ve been assured that the bags will arrive on Sunday evening. In the meantime, our pupils have handled the situation with immense good humour and maturity. Others have kindly lent bits and pieces, and performances tomorrow will go ahead in whatever uniform combinations we can muster. Their attitude has been genuinely impressive.

And of course, no RHS tour would be complete without a passport panic! One pupil left theirs on the plane, but — thank you, Canada — the immigration staff were relaxed, helpful, and cheerful about the whole thing. A quick form, a smile, and we were through. Meanwhile, the passport was found by the cleaning staff and personally delivered to us at baggage reclaim. The whole Canadian team — from border agents to BA ground staff — have been exceptional.

Our wonderful coach driver waited patiently, hotel check-in was smooth as anything, and as I write this, all pupils are safely in their rooms, ready for a good night’s sleep.

It’s 11:45pm here (4:45am UK time), and after a long and eventful day, we are officially off the blocks. Performances begin tomorrow, and if today is anything to go by, we’re in for a truly memorable trip. The pupils are already proving themselves to be fantastic company — resilient, positive, and full of fun.

Here’s to the next nine days of music-making, memory-making, and hopefully a little less sprinting through airports.